My Soul to Take
Page 78

How bout four men? Tod said through clenched teeth. He glanced at me, then at Nash, who nodded, giving him the go-ahead for something I didnt understand. Then Tod closed his eyes in concentration, and Sophies soul bobbed a bit lower.
My eyes widened. Tod was a reaper. Yet he was very clearly helping the others guide Sophies soul.
Margs eyes went dark with fury, and she whirled to face Sophie, clearly intent on taking her before she lost her chance.
And thats when my voice died.
No! I croaked, but no sound came out.
Yet no sooner had my scream faded from the air than true sound came roaring back to me, as if my ears had popped from a change in pressure. And the first thing to greet them was the most beautiful, ethereal music Id ever heard in my life.
Nashs mom was singing for Sophie.
All four of the men were tugging on my cousins soul now, with Harmonys song binding it. But Marg was pulling on it too. Sophies soul began to rise again, and this time it edged toward the reaper, her arms spread to receive it.
Marg, please! Aunt Val shouted. Take me. My soul may not be young, but its strong, and you cant have Sophie!
You cant save her. Marg sang, and, glancing around, I saw that she was right. With four souls in reserve, she was too strong for even four male bean sidhes. Ironic, considering how small and frail she looked.
Wait. She was frail. My dad had said reapers had to take on physical form to interact with their surroundings. Which meant Marg had the same physical weaknesses as the reaper whod tried to take me. The reaper my father had punched
My head spinning, throat throbbing, I ran into the kitchen. I glanced at the knife rack, then shook my head. I didnt know if I could stop her with one blow.
But I could whack the crap out of her.
I pulled open the cabinet beneath the oven and dug around for the old cast-iron skillet Uncle Brendon used for corn bread, then lugged the pan out and raced through the dining room. I passed Nash, Harmony, and Tod, and had already pulled the skillet back for a blow when I came even with my father.
Marg must have heard me coming, or seen some sign of it in my aunts face, because she turned at the last minute. The pan hit her in the shoulder, rather than the head, so instead of knocking her unconscious, I simply knocked her down.
But she went down hard. Her hip hit the floor with a thud, shaking the end table two feet away.
I couldnt suppress a grin of triumph, even as a vicious ache rebounded up my arm from the blow Id landed.
For a moment, the reaper lay stunned, glossy black waves spread around her head, arms splayed at her sides. On the edge of my vision, I saw Sophies soul sink smoothly toward her body. Then Aunt Val let loose a shriek of rageand launched herself across the floor. Id never seen her look less graceful or poisedand Id never admired her more.
She landed on Margs slim hips, straddling her, hands grasping the reapers shoulders. Her eyes were wild, her hair nearly standing on end. She looked crazy, and I had little doubt that if she wasnt there yet, she would be soon.
You will not take my daughter! she shouted, inches from the reapers face. So you either take me now, or youre going back one soul short of the bargain!
Margs lips curled back in fury as I inched forward, the skillet still gripped in both hands. She glanced up at Sophies soul, and her dark eyes blazed in fury to find that it was gone and that Sophie was now breathing, though still unconscious.
Marg stared up at my aunt then, terror fleeting across her features. Whoever this Belphegore was, Marg clearly didnt want to disappoint her. The reaper considered for less than a full second, then she nodded. Your soul wont fulfill the deal you made, but it will pay for your arrogance and vanity. And just like that, Aunt Val slumped forward onto the reaper, her eyes already empty and glazing over.
But Aunt Vals body hit the carpet, because Marg was gone.
I blinked, staring at my aunt in shock, and carefully lowered myself to the floor, to keep from falling flat out.
Kaylee, are you okay? Nashs fingers curled around my left hand, reminding me that I still clutched the cast-iron skillet in my right. Startled by what Id done with it, now that it was all over, I dropped the skillet at arms length, and it hit the carpet with a muffled thud.
Im fine, I croaked. Considering.
Uncle Brendon stomped past me to kneel at Sophies side. He took her pulse and exhaled in relief, then felt around her head, near where shed banged it on the end table. Then he picked her up in both arms and laid her on the couch, heedless of the blood her hair smeared across the white silk.
Aunt Val would have had a fit over the mess. But Aunt Val was dead.
With Sophies safety assured, her father dropped to the floor beside his wife and repeated the same steps. But this time, there was no sigh of relief. Instead, my uncle scooted backward on the seat of his jeans until his back hit the side of the couch, his hair brushing Sophies arm. Then he propped his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands. His whole body shook with silent tears.
Brendon? my father said, laying one warm hand on my back.
How could she do this? his brother demanded, looking up at us with red-rimmed eyes. What was she thinking?
I dont know. My dad let go of me to kneel at his brothers side.